Future Horrors
by historian
Summary: MMPR-Dinothunder crossover. Mesogog wins, and the Earth is swept clean of human life. But when the new villain and the evil Ranger responsible wind up in MMPR, Season 2, both of them plan to change the future...for good and for evil.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers are owned by Disney. Donovan is owned by me._

_Author's Notes: This is a crossover between MMPR, Season 2, and DinoThunder. It is set mainly in the MMPR era, with only one major character from DinoThunder (you'll see who as the story progresses)._

**Future Horrors**

by: Historian

_POV: The Pink Morphin Ranger_

I crept quietly, with a stealth I didn't even think was possible a week ago. I heard the murmur of voices ahead, including Mesogog's distinctive hiss. Some terrible emotion I couldn't even describe welled up inside of me, but I forced it back down. I was _never_ going to lose control of myself again...even if it killed me.

Finally I reached the edge of the forest. Peeking around the edge of a large trunk, I spied the five villains in the clearing, next to the smoldering rubble that had once been a remote house in the woods. Mesogog, Elsa, Zeltrax, the White Ranger clone...and Donovan. The figure I saw every time I tried to sleep

He looked so incongruous, a seemingly normal human male of about 25, with brown hair and eyes, average looks. He certainly wouldn't stand out in a crown like the humanoid dinosaur, the cyborgs, and the evil Ranger he was saying goodbye too. But he was every bit the monster they were.

I couldn't believe it when Mesogog actually shook Donovan's hand. Such a ...human...gesture. But then again, why not? Mesogog now had what he wanted.

A world with no humans.

I forced back the choking sob that threatened to consume me. I couldn't think about that. Not now. Not ever.

That..thing inside my head. More than a feeling; less than a voice. It whispered now: _wait until he opens the portal..._You'd think that after my recent experience, I wouldn't trust anyone messing with my head. But this felt...right. And I desperately needed something to cling to. Some hope. ANY hope.

There. Donovan stepped away from the other villains. His eyes glowed blue. He raised his hand, and a swirling blue portal formed from thin air.

_...NOW!_

I ran. I head the shouts from Mesogog and the others. I saw Donovan start to turn, his glowing eyes widening in shock. But none of that mattered. A morphed Power Ranger could reach near-highway speeds if they were motivated. I was beyond motivated.

For the other Rangers...

For my family...

For my friends...

For the world...

To make amends...

I crashed into him, and we went flying together through the portal. It twisted and warped around us, a kaleidoscope of blue and pink. Unbelievable pain ripped through me, but again, I didn't care. Donovan screamed too, and it was music to my ears.

Then everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

_POV: Tommy_

It was a good day.

The sun was shining, the temperature was just right, Zedd had just sent down a monster yesterday and would usually wait at least three more days before trying again...

and the most beautiful girl in world was walking along side me, holding my hand.

Normally she'd bounce as much as walk, her bubbly personality shining through even in her movements. But now she was subdued..happy, but subdued, looking at me occasionally out of the corner of her eye.

I sighed. I knew she was worried about me. They were all worried about me. I couldn't blame them. Losing my powers was one of the worst things that ever happened to me. At times it actually made me physically ill. If hadn't been for my friends unconditional support, I don't know what I would have done. Especially Kimberly. We'd been officially a couple ever since the _first_ time I lost my powers, but this time the loss signaled a deepening of our relationship.

I was almost ready to tell here I loved her.

Almost.

I know, I know. I'm fearless on the battlefield and a coward when it come to matters of the heart. I hated that what Rita had done to me still affected me, but it did. I steeled my resolve. This is the perfect time, Tommy. Nobody's attacking us, it's a beautiful day, and we're both in good moods. I turned my head to her. "Kim?".

She stared up at me with big brown eyes. "Yes, Tommy?"

Come on, Tommy. You can do it. "I..."

No warning. One second she smiled up at me, the next she grabbed her head and screamed in pain. I caught her in disbelief as she collapsed. "Beautiful!!??"

Her head lolled to the side, and I realized she was now unconscious. Crackles of pink power began streaming over her body as it began to spasm. The pinkness ignored my hands, but it obviously hurt her. She moaned softly.

Don't panic, Tommy! Get her to Zordon. I quickly looked around, seeing no one, and teleported us both to the Command Center.

As soon as I rematerialized, I rushed her to the diagnostic table. "Zordon, something's wrong with Kim!"

"I KNOW, TOMMY. THERE IS A DISTURBANCE IN THE MORPHING GRID. ALPHA 5, PLEASE EXAMINE KIMBERLY WHILE I SUMMON THE OTHER RANGERS."

I barely heard Zordon calling the others. All my attention was on the brunette on the table, watching Alpha run his scanner over her. The energy discharge was getting worse, and so was the pain. I swear Zedd, if you're behind this, I'll make you eat your own staff, powers or no powers.

A crackle of multi-colored energy announced the arrival of the rest of the team. I still didn't look away, but I heard Trini's frantic "Kim!" as she rushed over to her best friend's side.

"What's going on, Zordon?" Jason asked tensely.

"I AM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE THAT NOW, JASON. ALPHA 5, WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED?"

"Ayiyiyiyiyi! Something's draining the Pink power from Kimberly's morpher!"

You could feel the shock in the room. My gut tightened. We were NOT going to lose another Ranger's powers. One was enough.

"It's almost as if another Pink Ranger is trying to use the Power!" Alpha continued.

The shock increased. I finally turned my head and looked up at Zordon. "Could Zedd have created an Evil Pink Ranger?"

NO, TOMMY. THE SECRET TO MAKING MORPHERS IS KNOWN ONLY TO A FEW BEINGS, AND ZEDD IS NOT ONE OF THEM. I AM AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN...WAIT. I SENSE A DISTURBANCE IN ANGEL GROVE PARK. IT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN, BUT I SENSE IT HOLDS THE ANSWER TO KIMBERLY'S PROBLEM. RANGERS, TELEPORT TO THE PARK AT ONCE, BUT MORPH FIRST. SOMETHING THAT POWERFUL COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS."

"Right, Zordon," came Jason's usual answer. He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Keep an eye on Kim for all of us, bro."

I nodded, unable to speak. The woman I loved suffered, and my friends were going into battle without me...again. Stay here? I didn't have any other choice.


	3. Chapter 3

POV: Trini

When we arrived at the park, no one had to ask the stupid question "where is it?" It was hard to miss. A cyclone of swirling pink and blue blew trash, grass and leaves around only a few hundred feet from us.

"Billy, any ideas?"" came Jason's "leader voice".

Billy thought for a minute. "I believe the pink part is definitely drawn from Kimberly. But the blue certainly isn't me: I feel fine and the shade is different."

I broke in, frantic for my friend. "How do we shut it down?"

Billy sighed. "That's going to take a while to figure out. I don't even know WHAT it is."

He was interrupted by an enormous crack of lighting from the center of the cyclone. Two figures flew out and landed hard on the ground. In a fraction of a second, the cyclone disappeared utterly.

I stared at the two figures lying motionless on the ground. One was a young adult human dressed in blue T-shirt and jeans. The other...

The other was the Pink Morphin Ranger.

For a moment we just stood there, stunned. "Kim?" I whispered. How could she be here and in the Command Center at the same time?

"No," came Jason's firm voice, "that Ranger's too tall to be Kim." He was right. He continued "Let's take a look...cautiously."

We'd only taken a few steps when the male figure groaned and got up on his hands and knees. He looked up us, startled. I gasped. He wasn't human after all.

His eyes glowed a solid blue.

Those blue eyes widened as he studied us. "Morphin...Rangers?" Then they narrowed as he leapt to his feet. "You bitch!!" he spat at the still motionless form of the Pink Ranger.

We stopped and looked at each other. Without saying a word, we knew what we were dealing with here.

Only a villain would talk to a Ranger with such contempt.

"Who are you?" Jason asked in a deadly voice.

The blue-eyed man visibly calmed himself, and managed a smile as he turned to us. The eerie glow in his eyes faded. "I am Donovan, the Dark Warrior, Rangers," he actually gave a little bow, "and my companion is the Dark Pink Ranger," he smiled again at our gasps, "who has outlived her usefulness!" The eyes flared again for a moment, then faded back to brown. What was that all about?

"Never!" Jason shouted, and charged Donovan, Power Sword held high. I rolled my eyes behind my helmet. Jason is a great leader, but sometimes the Power makes him overconfident. I mean, we knew NOTHING about this guy, especially his fighting abilities. The mere fact that he possessed an evil Ranger probably meant he packed some serious power.

Donovan just smirked, not at all concerned about the angry Red Ranger closing in on him. This was not a good sign.

I found out why a second later, when a familiar flare of golden fire erupted between Jason and Donovan, followed quickly by white swirls.

Goldar and the Putty Patrol had arrived. Jason skidded to a halt.

"Took you long enough!" Donovan called to Goldar.

"The traffic was murder!" Goldar yelled back without turning his head. Well, those two certainly seemed friendly.

"Whatever. Just hold those Power Geeks off for two minutes!" He turned menacingly toward the still motionless Pink Ranger.

"With pleasure!" Goldar roared, leaping at Jason. Their swords met with a clang, and the grudge match was on again.

"Guys, stop Donovan!" Jason shouted, ducking as Goldar nearly decapitated him.

Easier said than done. The putties formed a wall between us and the new villain, and they seemed determined. I started my usual "smash the Z" routine, but I knew that it would take more than two minutes to get through them. I tried to see what Donovan was up to, but that's hard to do in the middle of a fight. I finally knocked away enough putties for a brief breather, and spied Donovan.

And stopped dead in my tracks.

Donovan held the Sword of Darkness.

I barely registered the pink energy flowing between the mysterious Ranger and the Sword before three Putties reminded me that freezing in the middle of a fight is a very bad idea. In an unusual display of teamwork, two Putties grabbed each of my arms while the third sucker-punched me in the stomach. I quickly snap-kicked that Puttie while flipping the other two. I focused on the battle, but that brief image still burned in my mind. What the hell was going on here!?

"Got it!" came Donovans triumphant voice. Goldar and the few Putties still on their feet immediately fell back to his position. I heard the other Rangers gasp, with a soft "Oh, man!" from Jason, as they spied the Sword Donovan held triumphantly in the air. It glowed with Pink Power.

"What about her?" Goldar growled, pointing to the now demorphed girl still lying on the ground.

Donovan grinned wickedly. "I'm going to do the worst thing I can think of," he pronounced. "I'm going to let her live."

As one, we charged at them, but Donovan just waved sarcastically and disappeared in blue flames much like Goldar's. Goldar and all the Putties quickly followed.

"Shit!" Jason stomped the ground in a rare display of temper.

I felt the same way, but I held it in by focusing on the mysterious (and apparently former) Ranger. I kneeled beside her and gently turned her over. She was about my size, with long, thick blond hair. She was indeed alive, but seemed unconscious. I looked up at the other Rangers as they gathered around. "We have to get her to the Command Center," I stated.

"But what if she's still evil?" Zack asked.

"We can handle her," Jason replied. "I have the sinking feeling she doesn't have the Power anymore."

Gently, Jason picked her up and cradled her in his arms. We all teleported back to the Command Center.


	4. Chapter 4

POV: Jason

After we rematerialized I quickly laid the mysterious young woman on the other diagnostic table, grateful that we had two. As Alpha waddled over to her, I moved to Kim's table, where a very pale Tommy stood guard. I didn't blame him for being in shock; I was myself. A new villain, a new dark Ranger, and Tommy's worst nightmare in the villain's hand. "How is she?" I asked softly.

Tommy swallowed hard. "Zordon and Alpha say she should wake up any time now."

I sighed in relief. "You okay, bro?" I asked softly.

Tommy looked at me. "No, I'm not," he said honestly. I clasped his shoulder in silent support. It was all I could do.

I looked up at our mentor. "Zordon, we need answers," I said hoarsely.

"I BELIEVE I HAVE SOME, RANGERS. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL ALPHA 5's SCAN OF THE NEW RANGER IS COMPLETE."

"We're just about done, Zordon," Billy answered, as he studied the information Alpha's scanner fed into the computer. "There's definitely dark energy in her, but it's fading." He looked up at us. "She's not evil anymore."

Well, that was a relief. But Tommy looked unconvinced. "How can that be, if the...the Sword of Darkness still exists?"

"I'm not sure," Billy admitted. "The dark energy resonates on the same frequency as yours did when you were under the Sword's influence, so the spell was definitely tied to it. But somehow, the spell just...broke."

Tommy looked down, and I caught the flash of shame on his face. I knew what he was thinking. If she had been able to break the spell, why hadn't he been able to? I made a mental note to talk to him about it later.

"RANGERS, I BELIEVE I KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON HERE," Zordon stated. We all gathered in front of his tube, looking up at him like we had so many times before. "AFTER ANALYZING THE DISTURBANCE, I HAVE DETECTED CHRONITON PARTICLES."

"Time travel!:" exclaimed Billy

"INDEED, BILLY. DONOVAN'S MAIN POWER IS THE ABILITY TO OPEN PORTALS LEADING TO ANYWHERE HE WANTS TO GO. I WAS UNAWARE THAT HE COULD EVEN TRAVEL THROUGH TIME, BUT THAT IS APPARENTLY WHAT HE DID. HE PROBABLY JUMPED BACK IN TIME TO THE SPLIT SECOND BETWEEN THE SPELL ON TOMMY BREAKING AND THE SWORD OF DARKNESS' DESTRUCTION. THUS HE WOUND UP WITH AN INTACT SWORD."

"So this girl is a Ranger from the past?" Trini asked with wide eyes.

"NO, SHE IS NOT. I REMEMBER ALL MY RANGERS WELL, AND THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM. I MUST THEREFORE CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS A RANGER FROM THE FUTURE. JUDGING FROM THE AMOUNT OF CHRONITON PARTICLES, SHE IS FROM APPROXIMATELY A DECADE FROM NOW."

That was a shock. We all looked at each other with wide eyes. I for one had never really imagined the Rangers being needed for that long. True, Rita and Zedd were persistent villains, but ten years? It was hard to get a grip on. I looked up at Zordon. "So this girl is Kim's...replacement?"

"PROBABLY SEVERAL TIMES OVER, JASON. I NEVER INTENDED FOR YOU TO REMAIN RANGERS BEYOND YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. THE TEAM HAS PROBABLY BEEN CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES BY THIS YOUNG WOMAN'S TIME PERIOD."

"Man, that's heavy," Zack commented.

"Will she be all right, Billy?" Trini asked, always caring about others.

"I think so," Billy answered, "but it will be a while before she wakes up. Her energy stores and fat deposits are exhausted, and I don't think she's slept in almost a week. It will be a long time before she back up to full strength."

"UNFORTUNATELY, SHE WILL WAKE UP TO A SERIOUS PROBLEM, RANGERS. IT IS OBVIOUS NOW THAT KIMBERLY'S PROBLEM WAS THAT TWO PINK POWER COIN MORPHERS WERE EXISTING AT THE SAME TIME, AND ONE WAS BEING USED. NOW, HOWEVER, THE PINK POWER HAS BEEN UTTERLY DRAINED INTO THE SWORD OF DARKNESS. BOTH MORPHERS ARE NOW USELESS."

I felt ice clutch my heart. We were now down TWO Rangers. Tommy looked stricken. "Kim..." he whispered in a horrified tone.

"There has to be something we can do!" Zack burst out.

"THE ONLY WAY TO REVERSE THE EFFECT WOULD BE TO DESTROY THE SWORD."

I straightened. "We'll do it, Zordon!"

"SADLY, JASON, I DOUBT YOU WILL GET THE CHANCE. WHILE DONOVAN IS MUCH LESS POWERFUL THAN RITA OR ZEDD, HE IS ALSO A MUCH BETTER TACTICIAN THAN THEY ARE. HE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY KEEP THE SWORD IN ONE OF HIS SUBSPACE POCKETS, WHERE ONLY HE CAN ACCESS IT. HE WILL NOT RISK USING IT IN COMBAT."

We looked at each other, trying desperately to find some hope from each other. But I didn't see any.

"WHAT IS WORSE, RANGERS, IS THAT DONOVAN AND GOLDAR ARE GOOD FRIENDS, MUCH LIKE TOMMY AND JASON. THEY TRAINED TOGETHER UNDER THE SAME MASTER, AND THEY FIGHT TOGETHER AS ONE. GOLDAR IS THE STRENGTH, DONOVAN IS THE SPEED. GOLDAR IS THE POWER, DONOVAN IS THE ENERGY. THEY HAVE NEVER YET LOST A BATTLE IN WHICH THEY FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE."

"Now tell us the good news," Zack half-joked, half-pleaded.

"UNFORTUNATELY, ZACHARY, THERE IS NONE TO TELL. WITHOUT THE FIREBIRD, YOU CANNOT FORM THE THUNDER MEGAZORD. AND WITHOUT THE MEGAZORD, YOU WILL BE HARD-PRESSED TO STOP GOLDAR AND DONOVAN."

I felt anger. "So that's it? We just give up!?"

"NO, JASON. WHILE THE SITUATION IS DIRE, YOU MUST NEVER GIVE UP HOPE. I WILL MEDITATE AND TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION. MEANWHILE, THERE ARE STEPS YOU MUST TAKE."

"What steps?"

"AS I SAID, DONOVAN IS A CRACK TACTICIAN. AND BEING A VILLIAN, HE HAS NO HONOR. RATHER THEN MEET YOU ON THE

BATTLEFIELD, HE WOULD MORE LIKELY MURDER YOU IN YOUR SLEEP."

We stared at each other, stunned. No villain we faced had ever tried that.

"FAILING THAT, HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO MURDER YOUR FAMILIES."

We all shot to our feet at that. "But why!?" we all exclaimed.

"BECAUSE YOUR GRIEF AND RAGE WOULD PUT YOU AT A DISTINCT DISADVAGE IN A SUBSEQUENT BATTLE. DONOVAN IS COLDY ANALYTICAL IN SUCH MATTERS."

I struggled to mantain my composure. The idea that someone would do that, and feel nothing but tactical satisfaction from it...that was hard to handle. At least the villians we knew would at least feel SOMETHING if they did that.

"How do we protect our families?" I asked, hearing the pleading tone in my voice and not caring.

"YOU MUST BRING THEM TO THE COMMAND CENTER."

How many times could person be shocked in one day? Too bad I don't dare keep a diary; this would be marked down at "the most surprising day ever." I gaped at Zordon, and so did the others.

Trini recovered first, her normally even composure deeply shaken. "B-but Zordon, what about the Rules?"

"THESE ARE DESPERATE TIMES, RANGERS. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO BOTH PROCTECT YOUR FAMILIES FROM CONCERTED, REPEATED ATTACKS AND KEEP YOUR IDENTITIES A SECRET. THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE THEY WILL BE SAFE. GIVEN THE CURRENT SITUATION, I BELIEVE THE POWER WILL ALLOW YOU TO REVEAL YOUR IDENTITIES TO YOUR PARENTS AND STILL KEEP YOUR RANGER POWERS."

Zack shook his head. "My parents are going to FREAK!"

Billy sighed. "They're ALL going to freak," he stated, using a word he normally wouldn't.

"Who's...who's going to freak?" came a soft voice from behind us.

We spun around. "Kim!!""


	5. Chapter 5

_POV: Kim_

Woah, did somebody get the name of that Zord? I feel like I just ran up the all the stairs in the Empire State Building...and then ran back down them. It was a struggle just to get my eyes open.

"...all going to freak," came Billy's voice. Since when does Billy say "freak"?

"Who...who's going to freak?" I said, trying to turn my head. I felt EXHAUSTED!

"KIM!!!" the cry came from five throats simultaneously. A ring of faces appeared all around me, smiling widely. I mananged a smile in return. "Guys...what happened?"

Well, THAT god rid of the smiles in a hurry. In fact, I get the distinct feeling I'm not going to like this.

Five minutes later, I realized that was the understatement of the century.

My powers were GONE. I wasn't just tired; I felt like half my soul had been ripped away. There was this big, gaping HOLE in me, and it HURT. Tommy put his arms around me...Tommy. Oh, God, Tommy, I thought I understood what you were going through, but apparently I didn't have a freaking clue.

Tommy gently rocked me back and forth. "It'll be all right, Beautiful."

No, Tommy, it's not all right! Your powers are gone, my powers are gone, we can't form the Megazord, god knows what this Donovan freak is going to do next, and we have to totally upend our parents' lives...

It was too much. I pulled away from his comforting embrace, wrapping my arms around myself and walking rapidly to the wall of the Command Center, trying not to cry. I hadn't felt this hopeless since the Evil Green Ranger and friends destroyed the Megazord.

I was vaguely aware of Tommy trying to follow me, only to be stopped by Jason. "She needs time," I heard him say softly. I was too miserable to care.

I don't know how long I stayed like that. It probably would have been a lot longer if my gaze hadn't happened to land on the figure on the diagnostic table. I stared dully for a moment, then to my surprise the Ranger part of me (which was apparently not tied to my powers) gave me a swift kick in the ass.

_Buck up, girl! While you're feeling sorry for yourself, think about her! If Donovan is anywhere near as sadistic as Rita, this girl's been through hell! Turned evil, ripped away from her own time and her friends, and probably made a Ranger against her will! You're not the only one suffering, Kimberly!_

Whoa. It was a little surreal to have part of my brain lecture the rest, but it worked. With an effort, I shook off my misery. Throwing a word-less apology to Tommy (the look on his face told me he understood) I approach the young blond on the table. Billy had said her sleep was one of pure exhaustion, but it obviously wasn't a peaceful one. Oh, she wasn't tossing and turning, but her whole body was tense as a board. I could only imagine what her nightmares were like.

Staring at her like that, I felt in instant kinship with her. It wasn't just that we had both worn the Pink armor; it was the bond all of us Rangers feel with each other. It was what had let us forgive Tommy for his time in darkness. It was what had turned already close friendship into a bond so deep that no non-Ranger could understand it.

And, I suddenly realized, it was still there for me. Being a Ranger isn't about having the Power; it's about who you are. It's about a frame of mind, a lifestyle. It's about helping people; not for compliments or rewards, or even because it's the right thing to do. It's doing it because it needs to be done.

Once a Ranger, always a Ranger.

Shaken by this epiphany, I turned and ran towards my friends. It started with me hugging Tommy, but then the others joined in, understanding my feelings without needing words. As we hugged each other, as we gave comfort to each other, I felt my confidence returning. They were there for me, just like I was there for them. Just like we would be there for that young, traumatized girl on the bed.

Let Donovan do his worst. He may have taken my powers, but he couldn't take this.


	6. Chapter 6

_PoV: Jan Scott_

It had been a good day. I had delivered five babies in my capacity as a maternity nurse, and basked in the glow of five sets of radiant parents. My job is very fulfilling, which is good, since it's all I ever wanted to do. There's something special about bringing life into this world, especially in a place like Angel Grove, where it can end very suddenly. Don't get me wrong, the Power Ranger have worked miracles in protecting this city...but people still die. We've learned to live with monsters and giant robots, but you _never_ really get used to it.

But there hadn't been any attacks today, so it was all good. My husband Henry was engrossed in the evening paper, and I was busy cooking spaghetti, a family favorite. Jason was out with his friends, but he should be back soon.

Jason and his friends...sometimes we, the parents, marvel at our offspring. We became friends because THEY became friends, but we know our bond can never be as deep as our childrens'. They do EVERYTHING together..and they do a lot. I can say, without exaggeration, that we have the best kids in Angel Grove. They're practically saints. They get excellent grades in school. They participate in every conceivable activity to help the community. My own son teaches self-defense courses at the Youth Center, and he's marvelous with his students--very patient and understanding. He wants to open his own dojo after graduation, and I just know it'll be a huge success here, in this marital-arts-crazed town.

Our children would be perfect..except...well, something's off.

I can't put my finger on when it started, but I've definetely noticed it over the last year at least. It's not one specific thing, but several subtle things. They're always running off at a moment's notice. They trade significant glances when they think we're not looking. Even their clothing styles have changed. I swear 90 of the clothes in Jason's dresser are red! We parents have talked about it between ourselves, buts somehow the time never seemed right to talk about it to the kids. In the end, we just decided to trust them. They're very good kids; they deserve some leeway.

I was walking into the living room when a crackle of red light erupted in front of me. I yelped and jumped backwards, my husband dropping the paper as he looked up in surprise.

A second later, the Red Power Ranger was standing in our home.

This was the first time I'd seen one up close. The Rangers usually kept their distance from civilians who weren't in immediate danger. I had to admit, he looked even more impressive than he did on TV. You could practically _feel_ the power radiating off him--no wonder it was part of their name.

For a moment, we just stared in shock. Then he seemed to realize how badly he'd startled us, and raised his hands in a soothing gesture. "Sorry about that," he rumbled. "Mr. and Mrs. Scott, I need you to come with me. It's about Jason."

Even shocked, I immediately went into panicked mother mode. "Jason!? Is he okay!? Were is he!? Is he..."

He waved his hands as Henry came up behind me, his face looking equally concerned. "He's fine. It's just...well, it's a complicated situation. I need to take you to our...our center of operations."

I'm sure we were both gaping at him. The Rangers had always done their utmost to keep their secrets, both from the media and the government, both of whom very interested in the Rangers. And now they were letting us in??

He held out his hand, beseeching us. "Please, it's very important. And I assure you teleporatation is quite safe."

My husband and I looked at each other, communicating wordlessly in the way married couples do. We decided to do it. We'd trusted the Rangers to protect the whole planet, surely we could trust them on this?

"What do we have to do?" Henry asked.

"Just taked my hand," Red Ranger replied. We cautiously did so. He touched the strange coin on his belt, and everything faded out...

--

...and faded back in. I looked around in awe. This place was indescribable. It was obviously something no human could build. My first thought was _Billy would love it here_.

"Jan?" I heard a surprised voice ask. I turned to see Kiyiko Kwan and her husband Steven, looking at us with wide eyes. And it wasn't just them. Jack and Emily Taylor, George Cranston, Julie Hart, and Trevor and Cassandra Oliver were also there. They looked just as stunned as we were. What was going on here? Were ALL our children in trouble?

"THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE." That voice..it seemed to penetrate my very soul. It demanded respect. It had a presence that the President of the United States would have envied. We all turned to face the far side of the room, past the blinking electronic panels, to a tall blue tube containing...a floating head?!'

It should have been comical. But it wasn't.

"GREETINGS," this...being continued. "I AM ZORDON, MENTOR OF THE POWER RANGERS. I APOLOGIZE FOR BRINGING YOU HERE SO SUDDENLY, BUT THE RANGERS HAVE MET A NEW ENEMY, AND YOUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER."

Julie found her voice first. "Why? And what does this have to do with our children?"

"We can answer that," said Red Ranger. Four Rangers (the Pink one was missing), wearing their armor, lined up in front of us. "Rangers, power down," Red Ranger commanded softly. There was a four-fold flash of light...

...and four very familiar faces looked at us with stricken expressions.

No...six faces. Tommy and Kim came out from the shadows and stood alongside them, looking like they belonged there.

It was like a fog had lifted from my mind:

_...five already close friends becoming like brothers and sisters..._

_...the new kid in school, whose parents later admitted was acting very strangely those first few days, suddenly acquiring five new best friends..._

_...our children running off for seemingly no reason, and returning after a monster attack with a half-assed excuse..._

_...always wearing certain colors..._

I opened my mouth, trying to say something, ANYTHING..but what came out was:

"WHAT THE _HELL_ DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"


	7. Chapter 7

_PoV: Zordon_

I watch my Rangers flinch from Jan Scott's outburst, as they would not in battle. I know full well they would rather face Zedd without their powers than face their angry parents now.

"Rangers," I intervene before anything else can be said, "I believe our guest will be waking up soon. Why don't you go check on her?"

I've never seen my Rangers obey so quickly. But they are out of the way, and that is what I wanted. I don't like keeping things from them, but there is no place for them here and now.

This is a parental discussion.

"How could you!?" Kiyiko Kwan advances fearlessly on me--it is easy to see where Trini gets her courage. The other mothers are close behind her, though the fathers still seem frozen in shock. This does not surprise me; few things are stronger in this universe than a mother's love. "They're _children_!"

It's times like this that I'm glad I no longer have a physical body: it cuts down on the amount of pain I can feel. "Rangers have traditionally been teenagers and young adults, both on this planet and on others."

Julie Hart looks shocked. "You mean there are OTHER Rangers??"

"And Rangers have been on Earth before??" adds Cassandra Oliver.

"Yes to both questions. Rita first attacked Earth 10,000 years ago, and the first Earth Ranger team was formed then. And Rangers have existed on various planets in the galaxy for over 800,000 years. Rita and Zedd are far from the only villians in existence."

"Remarkable!" George Cranston has come out of his shock, and now looks fascinated. "An entire intergalactic community, and a grand war between good and evil."

"Focus, George!" Jack Taylor snaps. "We're talking about the fact that OUR KIDS are risking their lives on a weekly basis!"

"Jack, calm down," his wife soothes, laying a hand on his arm. Emily looks up at me. "Why did you choose OUR kids, out of all the kids in the world?"

"In a way, I was only the facilitator. At the most basic level, the Power chooses the Ranger. Only those with the brightest souls and the strongest ethics are worthy of being Rangers. It was, in essence, your children's destiny from the moment they were born."

"How long will they be Rangers?" Trevor Oliver asks in concern.

"That depends on circumstances. If Zedd is defeated, and no new villain replaces him, the Rangers will be allowed to stand down. If Rangers are still needed by the time they graduate high school, they will retire and be replaced by worthy successors."

"Or they die," Jack snarls.

"That is a possibility," I concede.

A few moments of silence follow that exchange. Finally I break it by saying, "This Ranger team is the finest one I've ever worked with, and I have you to thank for it. Without your amazing parenting skills, your children would have never been worthy of the Power. In your own way, you have repeatedly saved the world yourselves." They looked shocked at this. I continue, "You have learned much, and just received a great shock. I invite you to make use of our guest facilities. Alpha 5 will show you the way."

The parents start and stare at my assistant as he moves forward; it's clear that they've forgotten all about him. "Please come with me," he says politely. They look at me one last time, then slowly follow the little android out of the door.

I give my equivalent of a sigh of relief. That went better than I expected, but I know that future clashes are inevitable...especially now that the Rangers are in a vulnerable state. I put myself into a meditative state, hoping to find solutions to our many problems.


End file.
